The UAE Takes the Lead in Anti-Piracy Meeting in Dubai

A report from the Anti-Piracy Conference in Dubai this week in the National.ae says that the UAE has rightly taken the lead in bringing together partners from all over the world to discuss how nations can best cooperate to diminish the threat of piracy. But while international patrols and joint maritime agreements may temporarily address the issue, the ultimate solution lies in stabilizing Somalia.

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Cruising Rallies facing tough times, but some persevere

This past month there was both good news and bad from the top cruising and sailing rally organizers. First the bad news… After the horrible tragedy at the hands of Somalian pirates that took the lives of four Blue Water Rally participants, rally organizers released the following statement: “It is with great regret that Blue [...]

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Small Vessel Security to be Studied by USGC, Cost of Private Escorts: Updates in Pirate Alley

This week a meeting will take place at the Homeland Security Studies and Analysis Institute in Arlington, Va. between the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The media briefing will be held as part of the Small Vessel Stakeholder Executive Summit scheduled for Friday at the Homeland Security Studies and Analysis Institute, Arlington, Va., where publication of the Small Vessel Security Strategy Implementation Plan will be announced.

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Letter from Commander of Enterprise Strike Group on Aftermath of Quest Hijacking

(Adm Terry Kraft is Roy Kraft’s son and present Commander of Enterprise Strike Group) Commander Carrier Strike Group Seven, Rear Adm. Michael H. Miller, along side Commanding Officer of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Capt. Terry B. Kraft, tosses a wreathes to honor the Japanese and American Sailors who fought in the Battle of Coral [...]

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United States Coast Guard issues statement following incident involving S/Y Quest

Commander David G. McClellan, Chief of the United States Coast Guard Prevention Operations Department, has released a statement in response to the incident involving the death of four hostages aboard the S/Y Quest on 18th February 2011.

The statement is directed to all mariners considering, or in contact with, parties planning to sail in the Gulf of Aden or Arabian Sea. It reads:

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Will U.S. Navy reconsider escorting cruising sailors through pirate alley?

With the tragic loss of life this past week in the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin, the discussion has turned once again to the question of whether cruising sailors can depend on the U.S. Navy for protection in hopes of preventing another tragedy. Perhaps cruising sailors will unite in support of one another to urge the Military to be more pro-active.

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Cruising hostages killed by Somali pirates

It is with much sadness and grief that I pass on the grim news reported this morning by Fox News that all four sailors on board the cruising Yacht The Quest were killed by their captors. 

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U.S. may intervene to free captive cruisers. Crew members identified.

Scott and Jean Adam joined the Oz-Med section of the Blue Water Rally just before Christmas and had been sailing with the Rally from Phuket as far as Mumbai. Quest had taken on two well-known rally participants: Phyllis Mackay and Bob Riggle. However, she chose to take an independent route from Mumbai to Salalah, leaving the Rally on 15 February. All information is now being handled by the US Central Command and their spokesman in Dubai.”

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Somali Pirates Take Another Cruising Yacht With Four Americans Onboard

Jean and Scott Adam, cruising on the sailing vessel Quest, a Davidson 58 Pilot House Sloop, are an American couple from Southern California who have been sailing the globe for the past six years. Their cruising website states that The Quest started an “around-the-world” trip in mid December of 2004 after sailing her to the States from New Zealand in 2002. They were on a “Bible Mission,” bring bibles to out-of-the-way places around the globe.

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